Combination fireplace cover and article of furniture

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture for temporary use in hiding the opening of a fireplace when the fireplace is not in use, the furniture having a vertically disposed back of a size to cover the fireplace opening and a horizontal support surface extending forwardly from the back to overlie the fireplace hearth.

1111110 States Patent 1 1111 3,730,02 Woolard ay 29, 1973 [54] COMBINATEON FIREPLACE COVER 700,501 5/1902 James ..5/1 x AND ARTICLE OF FURNITURE 1,724,066 8/1929 Bean ..5/2 R 334,504 1/1886 Backus... ..5/2 R [76] Inventor. William J Woolard, 3748 Sllrna 2,633,179 3/1953 smith 312/242 x D vlrgmla Bead, Va. 23452 2,549,379 4/1951 Liebel ..108/50 22 Filed; Sept 3 1971 1,259,194 3/1918 Alexander ..5/10 R l l l 7 70 1,078,128 11/1913 Conant ..S/2 R 2] App.No.: 1 7, 9

Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel 52 us. (:1. ..297/217, 5/2, 126/140, Lane and Mumon e 160/DlG. 9 [51] Int. Cl ..A47c 15/00 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search ..:.297/2l7, 463, 14? An article of furniture for temporary use in hiding the 2 5 9 opening of a fireplace when the fireplace is not in use, IGO/DIC" 26/13 02 the furniture having a vertically disposed back of a size to cover the fireplace opening and a horizontal [56] References Clted support surface extending forwardly from the back to UNITED STATES PATENTS overlie the fireplace hearth.

2,077,324 4/1937 Homer 1.l60/DIG. 9

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented May 29, 1973 3,736,024

F/G. F162.

INVENTOR WILLIAM J WOOLARD ATTORNEY 1 COMBINATION FIREPLACE COVER AND ARTICLE OF FURNITURE This invention relates to a removable article of fumiture which provides an ornamental cover for hiding the opening of a fireplace when the fireplace is not in use.

The problem of providing an ornamental cover for the often dirty and odor emitting opening of a fireplace when the fireplace is not in use is well recognized by most housewives. In the prior art various means such as portable panel screens, flower vases and the like have been used to hide the fireplace when in non-use, but to my knowledge no one has previously devised an article of furniture which isespecially designed to serve the dual function of a useful piece of furniture such as a chair, sofa, bed, table and the like and an ornamental cover for hiding 'the fireplace opening.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an article of furniture which serves simultaneously to cover a fireplace opening in addition to its primary function as an article of furniture.

It is another object of this invention to provide an article of furniture such as a chair, a sofa, a bed, a table and the like which has an upright back panel of a size for covering and overlying the margins of a fireplace opening, and a horizontal support extending forwardly from said back to overlie the fireplace hearth.

For fireplaces which have a raised hearth it is an object of this invention to provide the articleof furniture with an additional cover member extending down wardly from the horizontal support to overlie the front edge of the hearth.

With the foregoing objects and features in view and with such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention covering a fireplace;

FIG. 2 is a left hand side elevational view of the invention and fireplace; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, the invention as generally indicated by the reference numeral is shown as being a sofa type article of furniture having an upright back 11 resting flat against the front face 2 of a fireplace generally indicated at 1 and fully covering and hiding the fireplace opening indicated by the hidden lines indicated at 6. Extending forwardly from the back 11 and resting on the fireplace hearth 5 is a base support 12 for the sofa, and a seat 13 which is supported over the base support by suitable intermediate framing means 14. .A continuous downtumed flange or lip 15 is rigidly connected to the base support 12 and serves to cover the forward edge 5 of the raised hearth 4 and provides a continuous front leg for supporting the forward edge of the sofa on the floor.

The slightly modified form of the invention 10' shown in FIG. 3 is like the invention shown in FIG. 1

- a sofa seat cushion, or the height of a chair seat above the floor in compliance with accepted furniture standards. The height of the intermediate framing 14 will thus vary to suit the required height of the seat 13 and in the case of hearths of considerable height the intermediate frarning may be dispensed with.

If the hearth is flush with the floor the front lip 15 covering the front edge of the hearth will be eliminated.

It is within the scope of this invention that various types of furniture may be utilized which provide both the vertical cover for the fireplace opening and a horizontal seat or table surface in front of the vertical cover. The horizontal seat or table surface may be supported by a closed-in box like support frame as shown in the drawing or it may be supported by individual legs. In the case of a sofa, the sofa may be of an extensible type capable of folding out to make a bed.

It is further within the scope of this invention that the individual front legs 15' for the article of furniture 10' may be detachable from the base 12 and replaced by legs of various length selected in accordance with the height of the hearth forward edge 5. Also if the hearth is flush with the floor 7, the front legs may be removed and the article of furniture may rest on the base 12 flush with the floor. Further, if desired detachable rear legs of length equal to the front legs 15 may be secured at the rear corners of the article of furniture so that the article of furniture may be used in a conventional manner.

The legs 15' may be selected of different furniture styles in keeping with a particular article of furniture and may also be of adjustable length to compensate for diflerent carpet thicknesses.

Further if desired removable skirts can be secured along the front edge of the article of furniture 10' to hide the legs 15' and the hearth edge 5 by an adhesive backing or other conventional securing means such as zippers, snaps, fasteners, etc.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination comprising a fireplace having a front facing, a hearth and a fireplace opening in said front facing, and a removable article of furniture having a continuous upright back surface for flushly engaging said front facing and covering said fireplace opening, a horizontal surface extending forwardly from said back surface away from said fireplace and overlying said hearth, and support means underlying said horizontal support surface for supporting said horizontal surface on said hearth, wherein said horizontal support surface is a seat and extends forward of said hearth beyond its front edge and said support means includes means covering the front edge of said hearth.

2. The article of furniture set forth in claim 1 wherein said article of furniture is a sofa.

3. The article of furniture set forth in claim I wherein said support means includes a box like frame on the underside of said horizontal surface for resting on the fireplace hearth.

4. The article of furniture set forth in claim 3 wherein said box like frame has a depending continuous front flange remote from and parallel to said upright back cover means.

5. The article of furniture set forth in claim 3 wherein the box like frame has a plurality of laterally spaced front legs remote from and parallel to said upright back cover means.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said front legs are adjustable.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said front legs include means for removably attaching the legs to the article of furniture.

l l k 

1. The combination comprising a fireplace having a front facing, a hearth and a fireplace opening in said front facing, and a removable article of furniture having a continuous upright back surface for flushly engaging said front facing and covering said fireplace opening, a horizontal surface extending forwardly from said back surface away from said fireplace and overlying said hearth, and support means underlying said horizontal support surface for supporting said horizontal surface on said hearth, wherein said horizontal support surface is a seat and extends forward of said hearth beyond its front edge and said support means includes means covering the front edge of said hearth.
 2. The article of furniture set forth in claim 1 wherein said article of furniture is a sofa.
 3. The article of furniture set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means includes a box like frame on the underside of said horizontal surface for resting on the fireplace hearth.
 4. The article of furniture set forth in claim 3 wherein said box like frame has a depending continuous front flange remote from and parallel to said upright back cover means.
 5. The article of furniture set forth in claim 3 wherein the box like frame has a plurality of laterally spaced front legs remote from and parallel to said upright back cover means.
 6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said front legs are adjustable.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said front legs include means for removably attaching the legs to the article of furniture. 